In a ruling that questioned a police chief’s professionalism and motives, the Civil Service Commission has ruled East Bridgewater Chief John Cowan wrongly fired officer Joel Silva and that Silva should be returned to duty.

In a decision released Thursday, commission Chairman Christopher Bowman wrote that Cowan made his decision in 2012 without enough evidence and let personal “animosity” for the Silva family affect him.

“Based on the dearth of evidence upon which Chief Cowan based his decision, his decision to personally conduct portions of the investigation, and his over-the-top behavior during the investigatory interview, I have reached the reasonable inference that the animosity between Chief Cowan and the Silva family contributed to his decision to terminate Officer Silva,” Bowman wrote.

Bowman also questioned Cowan’s motives.

“Even when considering the need to ask tough questions to test the veracity of Officer’s Silva’s responses, the overall tone, tenor and methodology of the interview fell far short of the professionalism expected of a police chief in Massachusetts,” he wrote.

Bowman said in his decision that Silva “shall be restored, forthwith, to his position as an East Bridgewater police officer, without any loss of pay or benefits.”

Silva, 37, filed an appeal with the commission on July 6 contesting his firing. He was fired on June 26 after being accused of insubordination and lying while on the job, and when Cowan issued the decision on the disciplinary hearings involving Silva.

In his decision, Bowman said the “animosity” between Cowan and the Silva family contributed to Cowan’s decision to fire Silva. He said Cowan “mischaracterized Officer Silva’s actions and statements.”

Cowan personally conducted portions of the investigation, serving as both hearing officer and as appointing authority, then made the decision to terminate Silva, Bowman said in his decision.

Cowan did not return calls for comment on Friday.

In a statement emailed to The Enterprise on Friday, Town Counsel Daniel C. Brown of Walpole called the commission’s decision to reinstate Silva as a police officer “disappointing.”

“For reasons known only to the commission, it ignored many of the facts and reasons for the town’s decision to discharge Mr. Silva,” Brown wrote. “Also concerning are the criticisms the commission levies against the town for the process it employed in discharging Mr. Silva.”

Brown wrote that the town is considering appealing the commission’s decision.

Joel Silva joined his father, former Police Chief John L. Silva Jr., and brother, former police officer John L. Silva III, both of whom were earlier fired by the town.

John L. Silva Jr., the former police chief, said Friday he is “thrilled” his son won the appeal.

“There’s justice,” he said.

The former police chief said “the whole case was manufactured” and that Cowan “has abused his power as police chief.”

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“If the Board of Selectmen were the hiring and firing, it would have never gotten to this point,” Silva, 70, said. “He just has too much power.”

Silva’s attorney, Jordan Burke of Needham, said Silva will receive his back pay and other benefits including sick and vacation time accrued since his firing.

Burke said a date has not been set for when Silva will return to work.

Burke called Bowman’s decision “as scathing a decision as I’ve ever seen toward a chief of police.”

“This comes down to the fact that Chief Cowan had a personal vendetta against the Silva family,” Burke said. “The commission agreed with us that this animosity was the basis for Joel Silva’s termination.”

Silva, who worked as a full-time officer in East Bridgewater since 1998, was fired after two disciplinary hearings at Town Hall on June 7 and June 18. He earned $62,000 in fiscal 2012, which ended June 30.

Maria Papadopoulos may be reached at mpapa@enterprisenews.com or follow on Twitter @MariaP_ENT.